Whether taken as an appetizer or a healthy main course, salad is no doubt an ideal solution to beat summer heat — light, healthy and easy to make.

It's much more than just simply combining vegetables and dressing at home or only ordering a Caesar salad in a Western restaurant — this Western-style classic dish is already a favorite among Chinese diners.

When Shanghai's summer enters its hottest time, it's no coincidence that kitchens in luxury five-star hotels focus on salad dishes. Their innovative ideas, attractive layouts, and of course ingredients and flavor satisfy people and sometimes even leave them surprised.

Shanghai Daily recommends some creative salads, bringing you some fresh, healthy and delicate delights to help lift the "dog days" of summer.

Waldorf Truffle Salad

A Waldorf salad is generally made of fresh apples, celery and walnuts, dressed in mayonnaise, and usually served on a bed of lettuce. More than a century old, the Waldorf salad today remains a timeless American classic.

The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It's still the most frequently requested item on the menu.

In 1896, Waldorf salad appeared in a cookbook by "Oscar of the Waldorf." The original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in "The Rector Cook Book" in 1928. The salad became popular enough that Cole Porter featured it in his 1934 song "You're the Top." The salad was also popularized by its central role in the plot of the "Waldorf Salad" episode of the British sitcom "Fawlty Towers."

Now in Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, the authentic recipe is used with a touch of truffle to make the salad even more exclusive — green apple, celery hearts, candied walnuts and black truffle.

Price: 138 yuan+15%

Address: Grand Brasserie, 1/F, 2 Zhongshan Rd E1

Tel: 6322-9988